News Your opinion about Mr.Zapatero

To those who don't know who is Mr. Zapatero, he is the Prime Minister of Spain. He won the 14th March presidential elections, beating Mr. Jose María Aznar. Please, say what you want about the Spanish goverment and our prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. You can comment what you want about the nowadays changes in our new relationship with the U.S.A., and our new friendly position with France and Germany.

Being American, the only countries I hear anything about on the news are my own and Iraq. All I learned about Mr. Zapatero was that he was a socialist and got subliminal messages from the media that he was bad for being Socialist, and as a result of electing a Socialist, Spain was a bad country. What's he done so far?

Being American, the only countries I know anything about are my own and Iraq.

Speak for your own ignorance. I am quite familiar with world geography. If you didn't pay attention in school and have not read world history on your own, don't blame your ignorance on being an American.

Just FYI; Spain is the country between Andorra and Gibraltar. Spain has arguably been the most agressive conquering power in the world history. Look at today's Spanish speaking countries and you will see their legacy did not bring much to the conquered, so it's nice to see one of their leaders redraw the troops. It shows that even the Spanish have learned not to fight for the wrong cause. I would suggest that Spain sends it's soldiers out on a mission to capture Bin Laden and do something against terrorism in stead of provoking it in Iraq. As for Zapatero: I hope he stays consequent.

Speak for your own ignorance. I am quite familiar with world geography. If you didn't pay attention in school and have not read world history on your own, don't blame your ignorance on being an American.

Sorry if I have offended you, I edited my post to be less objectionable.

Surprisingly enough, my school teachers don't teach anything about current events that I couldn't learn by watching the news, and there's hardly any time to stray off topic with the rigid cirriculum they must follow so that we do well on the state exams.

Under José María Aznar Spanish unemployment was cut in half. Under the present communist regime, unemployment is the highest in the EU. Except for England all EU countries fare poorly with High unemployment. Apparently 10%+ unemployment is considered a small price for getting one’s toenails clipped courtesy of the government.

Under José María Aznar Spanish unemployment was cut in half. Under the present communist regime, unemployment is the highest in the EU. Except for England all EU countries fare poorly with High unemployment. Apparently 10%+ unemployment is considered a small price for getting one’s toenails clipped courtesy of the government.

Under José María Aznar Spanish unemployment was cut in half. Under the present communist regime, unemployment is the highest in the EU. Except for England all EU countries fare poorly with High unemployment. Apparently 10%+ unemployment is considered a small price for getting one’s toenails clipped courtesy of the government.

Geniere, socialist is not communist, please be more accurate in your terminology.

Further, You never hesitate to make something up to defend your views, don't you? The link below gives access to the official Spanish database, month per month. Now tell me where you see the halvation in there?
Actually, the unemployment rate has decreased a bit under Zapatero, albeit not enough to indicate a real trend. Use facts next time.

The link below gives access to the official Spanish database, month per month. Now tell me where you see the halvation in there?
Actually, the unemployment rate has decreased a bit under Zapatero, albeit not enough to indicate a real trend. Use facts next time.

Of course he does, his son was one once.
just go to www.ine.es then click on INEBASE above, on ythat page , under Sociedad, click Mercado laboral, then click :Paro registrado y movimiento laboral registrado. Then "resumen mensual" then "Consultar todo", this gives you all the figures since 1990.

Of course it's easier to consult the "Neocons simplified view on the world guide".

:rofl: Interesting opinions. Thanks to all. I will quote somethings for a further clarifying:

wasteofo2 said:

Being American, the only countries I hear anything about on the news are my own and Iraq. All I learned about Mr. Zapatero was that he was a socialist and got subliminal messages from the media that he was bad for being Socialist, and as a result of electing a Socialist, Spain was a bad country. What's he done so far?

Although JohnDubYa scolded you, you are one of the representing students of your country. So that, your opinion about the external world is a mirror of what is happening there. You talked about your teachers don't tell nothing about other countries in your classes. Ok, mine's not too. I only have to read a newspaper for knowing what is happening in the world. The mission of the classes is not to show you the nowadays world events.

It is interesting to see the horror that provoke some political called "red" positions in USA, I mean, near of socialism. Maybe, it's because of that Bush do not want to see Zapatero and viceversa. The reason of that behaviour is that many american films is being made positioning the typical "russian communism" like the enemy to beat. The traditional enemy of USA has been the communists (China, Russia) and maybe for that you are warned about less conservative positions. You must know Tony Blair (your principal and unique alliance here in Europe) is socialist. The socialism, fortunately has nothing to do with communsim.But unfortunately, spanish socialism has nothing to do with european socialism (Blair, Schröeder).
I will show you why.

That was right, that was correct!. But that was correct. Under J.M Aznar this adage was neutralized. Spain has reached the best unemployment figures ever seen. We have reached the best economics figures of economic growth in Europe. Countries like Germany or France has worse figures than us. So that, Mr Aznar has a lot of arguments with Chirac and Shröeder because they wanted to stop recently settlements made which Spain had reached without any effort. Spain was a powered country in Europe, and its position against France and Germany about Irak was a threat for them and their power. The spanish man has been a worker for the last decade. The adage you talk about comes from former ages, where the "flamenco" and "sevillanas" was the signature of Spain all around the world. The socialists shared this vision before Aznar won the elections in 1996.

Now, the return of socialism is viewed with scepticism by a part of the population that voted to the Aznar party (called the PP). A half of the country is with socialists, and the other half is with more conservative positions (PP). Here we have more diversity of ideas than in USA. This is a bad thing and a good thing in part. The diversity of opinions enhances you to hear a lot of stupid things, but also enables you to have a wider vision of your country. The PP supporters are worried about the return of the "sevillanas" y "flamenco" times (as wasteofo2 said), and the return of unemployment and bad economic figures.

Just FYI; Spain is the country between Andorra and Gibraltar. Spain has arguably been the most agressive conquering power in the world history. Look at today's Spanish speaking countries and you will see their legacy did not bring much to the conquered, so it's nice to see one of their leaders redraw the troops. It shows that even the Spanish have learned not to fight for the wrong cause. I would suggest that Spain sends it's soldiers out on a mission to capture Bin Laden and do something against terrorism in stead of provoking it in Iraq. As for Zapatero: I hope he stays consequent.

Yes, Mercator. In Former Age, Spain has the greater power ever seen in the World. We were conquerors, we discovered America (Cristobal Colón was not spanish, but the money to build his ships and support the travel was provided by the Kings of Spain, without that money it had not been possible at all and americans would be living with an axe nowadays).

About fighting against terrorism, you are in a misconception. I have said this in another threads yet. You understand like terrorism the islamic terrorism. We have fighted against terrorist during the last 40 years. The terrorism of ETA. You have discovered terrorism since the 911 events. We have discovered terrorism 40 years ago. We know better than you how to fight against terrorism. If there are countries that have to advice USA how to fight against terrorism, one of them would be Spain, and the other Great Britain. Also Mr Aznar suffered a bombing in his car when he was going to work.

The only thing unbelievable here is that USA has Morocco as his strongest allied in the world. All the terrorist being judged by the 11th March terrorist attack come from Morocco. And USA is supporting in a stupid way that country.

Although JohnDubYa scolded you, you are one of the representing students of your country. So that, your opinion about the external world is a mirror of what is happening there. You talked about your teachers don't tell nothing about other countries in your classes. Ok, mine's not too. I only have to read a newspaper for knowing what is happening in the world. The mission of the classes is not to show you the nowadays world events.

First of all, he is only one person, not a representative. His views do not <b>mirror</b> anything. Second, they teach world history and geography in nearly all, if not all, public schools.

Ok, I wasn't saying he is representative enough. If USA have P millions of population, he's a 1/P*100% representative of USA. It's better than nothing. Don't you think so, John?.

To say the truth, if any european person hear the wasteofo2 words, he will be not be very surprised, be sure. Here the people believe USA goes on thinking only of his border to inwards. But surely there are people like you (and me) who are interested on international affairs.

First of all, he is only one person, not a representative. His views do not <b>mirror</b> anything. Second, they teach world history and geography in nearly all, if not all, public schools.

Geography? Not so much.

For each region of the world we study, we spend maybe 20 minutes on Geography (and by region of the world, I mean continent). It's so bad that the half class we were going to spend on South American geography last year started out with the teacher handing out a map of South America with boarders marked but no names written, and someone asked if it were Africa.

John, besides a select few kids who immerse themselves in geopolitics/current events, most people my age in America wouldn't even be able to tell you who Zapatero was (hell, 70% couldn't find their own state on an unmarked map) no less the effects his policies have had on the people of Spain. Please excuse the fact that a 16 year old doesn't exactly know everything their is to know about every country out there, especially with such crazy stuff going on in my own country. Again, I'd bet that well under 3/4 of Highschool Juniors in America could even tell you who Zapatero was. Judging from the kids in my school and other kids my age that I know from around the country, I concern myself with politics/international events much more than the average student. I tried to start a conversation with a kid in my American Studies class (before the teacher had started the lesson) about how Putin had eliminated people's abilities to vote for Governors and Parliment members, and I got a resounding "Who cares about Russia?". Kids my age don't know a thing about politics as a whole, especially the politics of other countries.

Here we have more diversity of ideas than in USA. This is a bad thing and a good thing in part. The diversity of opinions enhances you to hear a lot of stupid things, but also enables you to have a wider vision of your country.

I don't know much about Spanish culture/politics, but I doubt any country has more diversity of ideas than the USA. Not all the ideas are expressed by Bush, but among the people, I think the US is probabally the most Diverse Nation in the world.

I'm not going to defend our public schools. I have my gripes as well. I just don't like it when Americans go out of their way to ridicule their own country by projecting their own inadequencies on everyone else. Show some pride, for God's sake!

If a Frenchman came in here and said "You will have to excuse my spinelessness, for I am French," I think the French would have every right to complain. Sure, I can understand why Americans would say something like that (we are rivals to a certain extent), but any Frenchman who says that isn't much a Frenchman. And I feel the same way about Americans who, in essence, say "Pardon my stupidity, but I'm an American." With citizens like that, who needs enemies?

This is how low the politics have sunk in this country. In an effort to prop up the views of our rivals, our own citizens are disparaging themselves in an effort to brand the same identity on our government.

Now, maybe I misunderstood the original poster's angle. If so, I'm sorry. I saw what he wrote and, to me, it looked like a politically motivated cheap shot. But I could be wrong. And if he says I am, I will apologize.

Further, You never hesitate to make something up to defend your views, don't you? The link below gives access to the official Spanish database, month per month. Now tell me where you see the halvation in there?

The facts are as I stated them. Under Aznar unemployment more than halved. Under the present communist regime the unemployment at 11+% is highest in the EU.

http://www.spainuscc.org/eng/publications/LinkFall2000/paro21.html [Broken]Unemployment in Spain
Plummets to 21-Year Lows
by John Whitman

Steep declines in Spanish unemployment since 1994 shattered records in August 2000, as Spain’s registered unemployment rate dipped to 8.86%, the lowest level since December 1979.
Antonio de Oyarzábal, Spain’s former Ambassador to the United States, says that “everything now points to job creation,” and that a number of economic and political factors are working in concert to help Spain bring unemployment “figures down to the European level.”
After being plagued for two decades with double digit unemployment, Spaniards are finally getting some relief. Since 1994, registered unemployment, as measured by Spain’s National Employment Institute (INEM), has fallen from 18.0% in February 1994 to 8.86% in August 2000. At its peak, 2.77 million unemployed were registered with INEM and actively seeking work. By August 2000 this figure had declined by 46%, to 1.49 million.

Mercator said:

Geniere, socialist is not communist, please be more accurate in your terminology.